How Things Changed Forever...

CH 19 - Insecurities

She tried approaching him tentatively. "Kai please... Your hurting yourself. Calm down." she pleaded. This further fuelled Kai's anger. "You want me to calm down! After everything that's happened!! After everything you have done or rather 'not done'?!! What were you even thinking? Keeping secrets of our own game from us? Recklessly jumping into the fray when you didn't need to? And that too with a pair of scissors!! When you ought to find help. Ought to-" the Phoenix weilder, who gave no heed to her advice, broke into a fit of rather nasty coughs, his breathing getting slightly laboured, his entire body shaking violently as he tried his hand in controlling them .

She was immediately at his side, closely followed by Tyson, who filled the glass in the brunette's hand. Kai refused to take it. Hillary, who had been rather patient with him until then, snapped. "Damnit Kai. Just drink it. You don't want to die after all that we've done to save you!"

Kai drained the cup in a go, still looking like a furious child who had just been refused his favourite sweet.

She continued "And not another word from that mouth of yours, if you know what's good for you. Fine! Yes!! I have been blackmailed from from a day before the tournament started. Yes, the threats became more serious as the days progressed. Two days before the semi-finals, my mom met with an accident, I wasn't able to contact papa but she's completely fine now, so there's nothing to be worried about, everything is fine, stop making such a fuss about it!!"

"But why didn't you tell us?!" Max asked, his voice sounding hurt. "We could have done something, we could have helped you, protected you!!" Hillary gained her calm surprisingly soon. "And that's exactly what he wanted, Max. To create a distraction. He wanted you all to lose focus on your game, to take away your bit beasts for whatever grand schemes they were planning. You all were working yourself to exhaustion, stretching yourself beyond your limits, all because you wanted to save your bit beasts from those guys. I didn't want to break your focus..." she tried explaining uncertainly.

"Then, why didn't you tell us after the finals?" Ray added, a bit of a challenge in his tone. "I thought the threat was over. The threats stopped suddenly. I didn't see the need to rush to you with the information. And God knows you all deserved a break! The reason I came three days after the finals was to tell you guys about this, but then... Things didn't add up and I had to leave abruptly.  I was sure to tell you guys after the talk show but... We all know how well that plan went."

"Why didn't you tell us here then? You do know that we would help you in whichever way we can, don't you?" Max asked. Hillary faltered, "I...." 

"Cease the excuses, Hillary.  I think I now know the exact reason for this mess." Kai said abruptly. Hillary raised a pointed eyebrow at this, but stopped. "What are you doing here?" Kai asked. All of them look at Kai in confusion. He takes in a deep breath, and drawls out each and every word as though explaining something to a group of kindergarten children. "What are you doing here, in this room, at such a late hour?"

"I'm here to make sure you were well." Hillary replied, careful with her words. She didn't want him to use them against her. "And what am I to you Hillary?" Hillary was biting her lips now, her involuntary response to nervousness, not knowing the reason for such unimportant questions, hoping against hope that she was answering it correctly, "You are my... peer, my friend?" A pause follows. "What are we all together to you?" he further questioned. "You're all my friends, my.... Teammates."

"What's Tyson's role in the team?"

"He's the Vice-Captain of the Blade Breakers."

"What's Kenny's role in the team?" 

"He's the mechanic and strategist of the team."

"What's your role in the team?" He finally asked, a look of triumph on his face. Tears were already streaming down her face as rays of understanding shone in her eyes. But she continued answering the questions, "I... I'm your coach... help Kenny whenever I can,  a-and... take care of the non-beyblade related arrangements for the team?" Hillary gritted her teeth for what she knew would be the final question.